Medical Coding Specialist Certificate

This is an archived copy of the 2016-17 Catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.jccc.edu/.

The Medical Coding Specialist Certificate is designed to prepare students for employment as medical coders. Medical coders are health information professionals who specialize in analyzing health record documentation and determining diagnoses and procedures required for reporting purposes. Medical codes determined by medical coders are used primarily for reimbursement purposes; however, medical codes are also used for public health, research, operational and organizational planning, and benchmarking purposes in healthcare.

The work of medical coders requires knowledge of biomedical sciences, healthcare delivery, health information technology, and health record documentation. Therefore, the rigor of this certificate provides students challenging curricula in these domains.

Medical coders traditionally work in hospitals, ambulatory healthcare facilities, and physician offices to code records for reimbursement purposes. However, some medical coding professionals use their knowledge and expertise for non-traditional employment opportunities with third-party payers, medical software vendors, and the government (among others).

The healthcare industry depends on highly skilled and knowledgeable professionals in all areas of practice. Therefore, individuals considering a career in medical coding should recognize the importance of earning medical coding credentials after completion of this certificate program. Credentialing in healthcare is often required for employment, demonstrates professional competence, and illustrates commitment to one's profession. Successful completion of this program prepares students to sit for either the Certified Coding Associate (CCA) credentialing examination offered by the American Health Information Management Association and/or the Certified Professional Coder (CPC) and/or Certified Professional Coder-Hospital Outpatient (CPC-H) credentialing examination offered by the American Academy of Professional Coders.

(Major Code 4660; State CIP Code 51.0713)

First Semester

MIRM 140Fundamentals of Health Records2
MATH 116Intermediate Algebra* (or higher) (Note: Students planning to pursue undergraduate degrees in health information management or healthcare administration should take MATH 171 College Algebra.)3
HCIS 255Technology Concepts in Healthcare2
HC 130Medical Terminology for Healthcare Professions3
BIOL 144Human Anatomy and Physiology*5
Total Hours15

Second Semester

HCIS 271The Culture of Healthcare2
MIRM 143Coding Classification Systems I*3
MIRM 141Computer Systems for Health Information Management Professionals*3
MIRM 142Legal and Ethical Issues in Healthcare3
ENGL 121Composition I*3
Total Hours14

Third Semester

BIOL 227Human Pathophysiology*4
MIRM 145Reimbursement Methodologies*3
MIRM 147Introduction to Pharmacology*2
MIRM 144Coding Classification Systems II* (Note: Students are recommended to concurrently enroll in BIOL 227)3
Total Hours12

Fourth Semester

MIRM 146Coding Classification Systems III*3
MIRM 148Medical Coding Internship* (Note: Students must complete all other required certificate coursework with a "C" or higher grade to enroll in this course.)1
Total Hours4

Total Program Hours: 45